Greetings gamblers, it's Chris Bengel back in the saddle with you on this Tuesday.
Welcome to one of the most exciting times of the year for sports fans. We've got basketball coming down the home stretch in both the NBA and collegiate ranks, the NHL trade deadline is upon us and the MLB regular season is only a month away. On top of all that, the Masters and the NFL Draft take place in April, so we have a lot to look forward to. During those summer months when all we have is baseball, we have to remember never to take these days for granted.
Let's dive into Tuesday's picks.
All times Eastern, and all odds via Caesars Sportsbook
🔥 The Hot Ticket
Bulls at Raptors, 7:30 p.m. | TV: NBA.TV
- Key Trend: The Bulls are 12-4 ATS in the last 16 meetings in Toronto.
- The Pick: Bulls +5.0 (-110)
These are two teams that are battling to qualify for the postseason in the Eastern Conference, so I'm expecting a closely-contested affair. The Bulls haven't been the most consistent team this season, or they wouldn't find themselves in this position. However, they're coming off back-to-back wins and have had Toronto's number when playing north of the border over the last handful of meetings.
The Bulls and Raptors are two of the better defensive teams in all of the NBA. Toronto only yields 112.2 points-per-game (ninth in the league) while Chicago is giving up just 112.4 points-per-game (10th in the league). The Bulls are also holding their opponents to a 35 percent shooting clip from beyond the arc this season, which is 10th in the NBA.
I believe this is going to be a back-and-forth contest, and in that type of game, I'm riding with the underdog.
💰 More Picks
Texas Tech at No. 3 Kansas, 7 p.m. | TV: ESPN+
The Pick: Texas Tech +9.0 (-110) -- Going into Allen Fieldhouse is no easy task, but it's one that a battle-tested Texas Tech is up for. Texas Tech enters Tuesday's game as winners of four of its last five games. Their only blemish was a 83-82 defeat this past Saturday against TCU.
Despite being the third-ranked team in the country, Kansas isn't exactly a defensive juggernaut. The Jayhawks are surrendering 68.2 points-per-game on the year, which is just sixth in the Big 12. They're coming off barely escaping with a 76-74 win over West Virginia, who probably won't be playing in the NCAA Tournament barring a deep run in the Big 12 Tournament. On the other hand, Texas Tech is one of the Big 12's better three-point shooting teams, as they're knocking down 34.7 percent of their long-range attempts. They can definitely cover this number.
Key Trend: The Red Raiders are 4-1 ATS in their last five road games.
Trail Blazers at Warriors, 10 p.m. | TV: NBA.TV
The Pick: Klay Thompson Over 26.5 Points (-137) -- With Stephen Curry out of the lineup, Thompson is one of the focal points of what the Warriors do on offense. That's why I'm more than happy to roll with Thompson's point prop tonight.
Thompson has netted at least 27 points in three of his last five games. He's also drilled at least four threes in each of his last five contests. Speaking of threes, the Trail Blazers are allowing their opponents to shoot 37 percent from deep, which is eighth-worst in the NBA. Thompson should have no problem splashing home a handful of shots from the perimeter and hitting this number with ease.
Key Trend: Thompson has scored at least 27 points in three of his past five games
